There were Shadows
by pastheart
Summary: The bomb that terrorized Gotham during Bane's liberation was disarmed by a PhD student, who has since graduated. The League of Shadows is not pleased. However, she has been found to be of importance to the League, and more importantly, to Bane.
1. Chapter 1

Lillian counted the steps from the grocery store to the corner. She knew what she was doing. She was trying to distract herself from seeing shadows at every turn. Since she had left Gotham after its "liberation" was over, she had found herself being overly paranoid and doing precisely that.

"Stop it. Just stop. There's no one there." Lillian allowed herself to count ten more steps before she quit counting and faced that there was no one in the shadows.

She continued to walk for several blocks before she realized that her paranoia this evening was not unfounded. She was, in fact, being followed. She didn't see them at first, but she caught sight of one of them under a street lamp and then once more while she was crossing the street.

She didn't know why she was being followed or why someone would follow her for so long, but she wasn't happy about it. She rearranged the paper grocery sack in her arms and headed into the nearest discount liquor and tobacco store. The place stunk.

She set the paper bag on the lottery stand and slipped off her backpack. As she rearranged the backpack to accommodate the groceries, she was thankful that the store had been out of reasonably priced eggs. She didn't care what health benefits they claimed to provide she was not paying $5 a dozen for eggs. She knew some of the customers were staring at her. She even overheard the cashier whisper in his thick Indian accent, "Survivor of Bane's occupied Gotham."

That's right. She was a survivor. She had gotten out of Gotham alive and relatively sane. She would survive this night as well. She zipped the backpack up, took a deep breath, and headed to the door.

At first, she thought that they had either given up on her once she had entered the store or she really was paranoid and no one had been following her to start with. She was wrong on both accounts. They had simply hidden and watched from the shadows. They were also much better at hiding once she emerged from the store.

When she noticed them again, she started to calculate. She could either go to her apartment which was five blocks to the East. This seemed like a terrible idea. Assuming that they had randomly seen her and didn't know who she was, she didn't want to lead them back to her domain. The only reasonable solution was to head to the police station that was four blocks to the West.

She made it another two blocks before they picked up their speed, and she broke into a sprint. She made it another block before one of them managed to catch up and grab her. She started kicking and elbowing. She was desperate to get free. The second man quickly caught up and injected her with something.

"I have a doctorate in nuclear and theoretical physics, a masters in general physics, and a double major undergraduate in physics and biomedical engineering." She had woken up on a warehouse floor. It was cold and darkly lit. She stood up, and the room spun. When the world finally came into focus, she recognized several of these men from Gotham. These were men who had spoken hardly a word but had created a living hell. Tonight the demons of hell had come to take her life, and the realization had caused her to blurt out her life's achievements.

"I don't recall asking." The tone of the man before her gave nothing away.

"I have an interview on Tuesday. If I am not going to make it, I want someone to know what I was going to say even though the chances are much higher that they'll find it impressive when it would have seemed rather mundane to the interviewer."

"You disarmed Gotham." The mechanical rasp came from a shadow in the corner of the room that Lillian had not previously seen.

"Batman saved Gotham." The news had covered it as such. Batman had finally come out of hiding in Gotham's final hour to save the day. The Dark Knight's return had inspired someone to disarm the trigger woman, the socialite Ms. Miranda Tate, and a few police had been instrumental in locating the correct vehicle, protecting Gotham from anyone else detonating the bomb.

"No, no." The man, Lillian recognized him as Bane, shook his head. "Don't lie. It doesn't become you. It is a sign of weakness."

"I am not lying. Batman saved Gotham."

He titled his head and laughed. There was no true joy in. Humor, but no joy. "You are but a child. Yet, you ruined our plan."

Lillian had a distinct feeling that she was being mocked. She didn't know why it mattered to her, but it mattered a great deal. If she was going to die here tonight in this cold building, then she would do so with dignity. "My name is Lillian."

Someone else laughed in the room. Their laughter wasn't as harsh as Bane's had been, but it lacked joy just the same. "My name is Lillian. A weekend visit to my roommate's family turned into six months of living in a hell that you and your plan gave birth to. On February 19th, I disarmed a fully primed neutron bomb in Gotham City. My name is Lillian O'Conner, and I will not apologize for what I have done."

The room was nearly silent. The only sound to be heard in the room was Lillian's frightened breathing. Nothing else in the room moved or made a sound. If it wasn't for the fact that she could still make out the outlines of a few of the men in the room, she would have sworn she was alone.

The silence had become suffocating. She was assured that it would choke her to death in the end. "You may go."

She was unsure as to whether or not she had heard it. It was not something that she would have ever imagined the tall brute saying. She noted her backpack sitting to the left of him by a door and headed for it. She never looked back, praying the entire time that he wouldn't change his mind or she wouldn't find herself shot in the back.

Author's note: Thank you for reading. Please review.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It had been several days since the incident had taken place. Since then, Lillian had made sure to complete her errands during the day and had started making sure that she was home before it got dark or to walk home with a colleague who lived in the next building.

She came out of the bedroom with laundry basket in hand, ready to go to the basement to fetch her load of clothes. She was hopeful that the creepy guy in 6B hadn't tried to throw his laundry in with hers again to save a few dollars or in the hopes that she would fold it and return it to him. She reached and turned on a lamp to keep from tripping over boxes in the living room that she had bought to start packing. The light came on, and there he sat.

He watched her stare at him like a deer caught in the headlights before she slowly stood up straight. He found the whole thing rather humorous. It was obvious she didn't know why he was here. He didn't quite know himself. He just knew that he had to see her again.

"I thought you were done terrorizing me."

"Am I terrorizing you, Ms. O'Connor?"

She set the laundry basket on the couch and headed towards the kitchen. "Would you like something to drink? Maybe some tea?"

"No." He sat in the chair in silence while she fussed with boiling water and making her own cup of tea. When it was done, she came to sit down on the couch across from him. He thought that she was terribly noisy. The silence continued between the two of them until she could stand it no longer.

"Why are you here if not to terrorize me? What do you want?"

Bane caught sight of the ring that doted on her finger. He had known about it, but the sight of it greatly displeased him. "You are engaged."

"Yes."

"To Officer Smith."

"He's a detective now. They promoted him and gave him an award for going above and beyond the call of duty to serve and protect the citizens of Gotham during their darkest hour."

His eyes darkened as her praise of Daniel reminded him of his failure. He stood and towered over her. "You ruined Gotham's cleansing. You will atone for this."

He left on that note. Although he never touched her, she felt it was as if though he had strangled her.

She dreamt of him that night. She was in one of Gotham's churches and wearing a wedding dress. She was walking around the sanctuary, admiring the decorations and fiddling with the pew bows. She looked up from the lace that she was fingering. It was then that she saw him standing at the back of the church, watching her. His hands were holding onto the straps of the bullet proof vest that he wore.

They stared at each other for a long time. She was frozen in her tracks, and he was as confident as ever. "I hear that congratulations are in order."

There was something in the mist of the metal rasp that spoke those words. Something that Lillian didn't trust. In the distance, she heard the church bell ring. She couldn't actually see it due to the mask, but she was sure that he was smiling. She instantly turned and ran back through the sanctuary. She continued her mad rush by opening doors and occasionally screaming out Daniel's name. She even started screaming for Charlie, but neither of them answered her nor could she find them. She reached the front of the church and still hadn't found either brother.

However, there, waiting in the lobby was Bane and several of his men. Bane grabbed her arm and dragged her out into the day light. She woke up, panting, and praying that he would leave her and Daniel alone.

Bane stared at the picture of the woman. He was irked and intrigued by her. He had a hard time believing that she had been the one to take down their carefully calculated plans. Oh, he knew that she had merely played a small role in disarming the bomb.

The police had taken back city hall with their march. Batman had inspired hope and given the police the last bit of bravado that they needed to storm the hall. However, she had been the one to render the bomb useless. He had promised her that she would atone for her mistake, and he would see that such atonement was carried through.

Lillian was having a hard time explaining to Daniel how important this opportunity was. She had called to merely tell him about it being offered to her. She planned on driving the four hour drive to Gotham this weekend to tell him in person that her mind had already been made up. She was accepting the internship.

Daniel, however, refused to be reasonable about it. The moment he heard that she had been offered an internship halfway across the world he told her she couldn't seriously be thinking about it. She tried to explain that this was an opportunity of a lifetime. She would never get another opportunity like this.

He still didn't understand. She had also been to four job interviews this week alone. She had gone to three interviews in Gotham last week and half a dozen before that. Each one had resulted in a rejection letter.

_Dear Ms. O'Connor:_

_We were delighted to have the pleasure of meeting you in person. You have a lovely personality and are quite brilliant. It is without doubt that you will make a valuable addition to any team. However, at this time, it is with deepest regret that we inform you we are unable to offer you a position. We look forward to your accomplishments and our future collaborations. _

_We wish you all the best. _

Daniel didn't understand it. Lillian was tired of being rejected. She was tired of making the effort to relocate to Gotham so he wouldn't have to leave his department. He wouldn't have to leave his brothers in blue. She had grown so tired of the rejection that she was starting to think that she had chosen the wrong career field and had started looking at obtaining a new doctorate at Gotham University. She could resume her biomedical engineering degree and get a medical doctorate. Gotham did have a great teaching hospital.

The phone call had come as a blessing. Someone wasn't rejecting her. They were hand selecting her to participate in their program. She hadn't even applied. They had seen her pre-doctoral papers, had gotten a recommendation, and were calling to invite her to take part in their internship. Daniel just couldn't understand that she needed this.

He argued that she didn't care about him or their future together. She argued that she needed to start her career. He argued she was pulling back and putting off planning their future. She argued that wasn't true. She wanted to argue that she had helped him to get his promotion.

She had put her life on the frontline, crawling into the bed of that truck and disarming that bomb. Yet, she had gone quietly into the night as a shadow. She had walked back to the apartment in the freezing cold, praying that everyone would be so distracted with the battle raging across town that they wouldn't be interested in attacking her.

When the dust had settled, the Smith brothers had taken the truck to city hall. She had allowed Daniel to talk her into staying out of the lime light so she wouldn't be a prime target should anyone decide to retaliate. It was one of the factors that resulted to both of them being promoted.

They were highly sought after while no one wanted her in Gotham. She didn't want to return to Gotham to begin with. The whole reason she was returning to Gotham was to be with him. She was returning to Gotham so they could be wed and start their lives together. In Gotham.

A/N: Thank you everyone for the support this story has gained. I am fixing to enter a busy time of year for work and school, but I will try to post several more chapters before the end of the year.

To my reviewer: I haven't quite decided on Dr. Crane yet.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Other than Daniel being upset with her for taking the internship, life for the past two months had been great. The team had been great and had really listened to all of her ideas. They had taught her so much.

Everything that one could possibly need had been provided within the building. Security was pretty heavy, though, and would not allow personal computers or cell phones. The security guard had debated about allowing her mp3 player in. Most of their information from the outside world came in the form of letters and television in the evenings.

It was the letter that came this afternoon that bothered her the most. She had to get out of here. She needed some fresh air and to be away from everything that reminded her of what she was. She was nearly to the door that separated the dormitory and Dr. Greenwich's lab from the rest of the labs in the building when someone stepped in her way.

She tried to step around the person, but the person matched her move for move. She didn't recognize him and wanted to give him a piece of her mind when she noticed the shadow standing a few feet away. She recognized the shadow instantly and retreated back into the lab. She set her mp3 player in its cradle and cranked up the speakers.

The music started out loud and angry, much to displeasure of those within the dormitory and able to hear the loud music. It was taken as a sign of childish disapproval, but no one made a move to do anything about the music. They continued on with their activities, and the music eventually become soft and mellow.

Lillian had turned off the music when the hour had grown late and those who worked in the lab had started to turn in. She grabbed a stack of papers and headed to the couch to read. There were still men who were milling in the shadows. She wasn't going to worry about them or him. It wasn't long before she fell asleep with papers resting on her chest and one in her hand.

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_Lillian rounded the corner and saw a group crowded around some steps of a building. She took a step back and tried to decide if it was safe to continue on her route or to find another way back to the apartment. Why hadn't she listened to Daniel and Charles about not going out alone? _

_She had decided that she wasn't going to live in fear anymore. If she had to live in this city that had been turned upside down, she would do it on her own terms. She wasn't going to be afraid any longer. _

_It was time to prove that to herself. She squared her shoulders back and prepared to start walking once more. She rounded the corner when she realized what they were doing. They were carving a man to pieces while he was still alive. The man's head came into view. She realized she knew who this man was. She had shared late night hopes and dreams with this man. It was her best friend's brother. She had to help him. She went to go towards him, and someone grabbed her from behind pulling her back into the shadows. _

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"DANIEL! DANIEL!" Marcus heard the screaming. They had all heard the screaming. He had come out of his section of the dormitory to make it stop.

"DANIEL!" He was surprised to find all of Bane's men milling about. No one doing a single thing to make any of the screaming stop. The majority of the lab was now up but too frightened to go near the couch once they spotted Bane in a chair not too far from it.

This evening his desire for sleep won out over his fear of Bane. He did make sure to give him a wide berth. "Lillian. Wake up."

There was no response from Lillian other than to scream out the man's name again. The screams were terrified and full of sorrow. They were progressively turning into half choked sobs. He placed his hand on her shoulder to shake her awake as he said, "Lillian."

Her hand grabbed his wrist, her feet pressed against his abdomen, and before he knew it, they were both on the floor. He was on his back, and she was on top of him. Her knee in his chest and her arm applying pressure across his neck. He choked out her name.

When she realized what she had done to Marcus, she moved herself off of him and kneeled beside him. Her breath came out ragged, "Marcus, I am sorry. I didn't mean it."

"Son of a bitch, Lillian." He rasped the words out while rubbing his neck. "What the fuck was that?"

"I am sorry." He stared at her for a minute, debating whether or not to continue pushing at the issue. She made the decision for him when she began to gather up the papers that were scattered all over the floor before heading into the women's section of the dormitory.

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Marcus awoke to the dormitory smelling of chocolate, cinnamon, eggs, and bacon. He grabbed the shirt that was resting on the end of his bunk and threw it on over his head. He walked down the hall and into the kitchen to find Lillian cooking.

She was surrounded by plates of pancakes, eggs, and bacon. She smiled at him. "Good morning. The two green plates on the left are chocolate chip pancakes. The two blue plates are cinnamon pancakes. There's some cream cheese frosting in the bowl behind them. The syrup is on the table. There's scrambled eggs in the bowl. I'd offer to make you fried eggs, but there's only one egg left. We're also out of sausage."

"Lilly, what is all of this?" Marcus thought it smelled like heaven, but he sensed that there was a deeper reason behind her cooking enough for an army.

"Breakfast." She grabbed a chocolate chip pancake and tore off a piece before shoving it in her mouth.

"There's only six of us, and Nadia and Clarice aren't here for the next few days."

"They have to eat at some point." Lillian had never seen any of the men with Bane eat in the few days that they had been here, but she was sure that they did eat. They wouldn't have so much muscle if they didn't. She wondered how often Bane bothered to eat with his face always covered with the mask.

"Does this have to do with last night?" Marcus questioned.

"No." Lillian was blunt and didn't offer any further explanation.

"Where did you learn to kick Marcus's ass?" Nicolas asked between bites of pancakes.

"She didn't kick my ass. She caught me by surprise is all."

"Nope. She kicked your ass. Where'd you learn?"

"Charles taught me."

"I thought your fiancé's name was Daniel."

"Charles is his brother." With that, she pushed off of the counter and headed to her portion of the dormitory.

Lillian reemerged seven minutes later in workout gear. She headed towards the door and found her path once again blocked. She glared at the man before her and crossed her arms over her chest. She would not be dissuaded.

Bane wanted to laugh at this slip of a girl trying to stare down one of his most trusted men. She was most determined. He waved his hand at the man and watched the man move before she slipped through the door. "Follow her."

Nicolas was too afraid to argue. He waited a minute before heading out the door after Lillian. It took him a few minutes to catch up to her at the leisurely pace she was jogging. "Nice day for a jog."

"Go away, Nicolas. I don't need nor do I want your company."

"Not here to keep you company. I am just here for a jog."

An hour later Lillian came back in with Nicolas who was having trouble breathing. Lillian headed for the shower directly off of the women's bunks.

"Having a little trouble?" Bane smirked from behind his mask while starring at a computer screen.

"I think she was trying to punish me." Nicolas was doubled over with his hands on his knees, breathing heavily. "I am pretty sure she was punishing me for listening to you."

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Lillian came out of the shower, wrapped in a towel, to find a box waiting on her bunk. She carefully lifted off the lid and peeled the tissue paper back. She was greeted with the site of black satin. She frowned.

She hurriedly threw on jeans and a t-shirt before marching into what most would call the living room portion of the dormitory. In reality, there was the lab which was directly off of the large room that was split into three rooms by furniture and an island to make the living room, dining room, and kitchen. There was a hall that lead to the bunk rooms. The women's section was on the right and held four bunks as well as a bathroom with two showers, sinks and toilet stalls. The men's section was on the left and held 36 bunks, 6 urinals, 4 toilet stalls, and a group shower. Lillian was sure with their small number that the bunks had originally been designed for a different purpose.

"Nicolas, what is that on my bunk?" Lillian tried to keep her tone neutral.

"It's called a dress, Lillian. Women generally tend to be pretty fond of them, but I don't recall ever seeing you in one." Nicolas sat on the couch, just now catching his breath.

"I don't want it. Take it back." Lillian's voice had found a good neutral place.

"No can do. I need a date for this evening." Nicolas stood, not quite sure how to proceed.

"Take Marcus."

Nicolas snorted. "Marcus wouldn't look half as good as you in that dress."

"I was hired for physics. Not to play dress up and make you look good."

Nicolas and Lillian stared at each other. Everyone else in the room continued working on their projects. "Two week pass home. Paid plane ticket both ways."

"For me to stand there and look pretty?"

"Yup." Nicolas smiled. "And play nice with others. No throwing them around like you did to Marcus."

"Let it go." Marcus growled from the kitchen.

"Dr. Levitus doesn't have a problem with me leaving for two week?"

"Nope."

"When do we leave?"

"Six." Nicolas smiled as he watched Lillian retreat back to her bunk.

A/N: Please review.


	4. Chapter 4

Bane stared at the intelligence before him. He hadn't been here when Nicolas had taken the girl away. He was told that she had been easily bribed. He had also been told that she had held her own after finding the dress.

He had not been very pleased with Nicolas' idea to take Lillian to the party this evening. Nicolas had claimed that she would provide a useful distraction, but Bane wasn't sure she wouldn't create trouble. Bane did not need her creating any trouble right now.

He didn't quite buy that she was easily bribable. He believed that it had more to do with him being here. He smiled slightly and then frowned as he realized that the nightmare which resulted in her screaming was also a result of him being here.

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Lillian came in, looking every bit a lady until she pulled off the shoes mid-walk to her section of the dormitory. She hadn't bothered to pay any attention to the men that she passed. Nicolas didn't look pleased to be back.

"Something go wrong?" Bane asked without looking up.

"Didn't get a damn thing. James is reviewing the footage to see if we missed anything."

Lillian padded back into the room in her stocking feet. She stopped before Nicolas, turned her back to him, and pulled her hair to the side. "Unzip me, please."

Nicolas put his left hand on the zipper and the right hand on the dress. "How did you get into this with the girls gone?"

"I had one of the shadows zip it up when I was getting ready earlier."

"Shadows?" Nicolas stopped about midway down.

"Yeah. There was one floating around the hall, and I asked him. You know for how stealthy and stoic they always act they sure are a nervous lot when asked to do something." Lillian put her hands across her chest and grabbed the top of the dress to keep it up as Nicolas finished unzipping it. Then, she returned to her bunk, blasting music loud enough for it to seep out of the room but not loud enough for Nicolas to make out the words.

"What was Lillian talking to the Chancellor's wife about?" James walked in, carrying an iPad. He played a clip of Lillian talking at the party. The audio had been turned down since all one could hear was the orchestra playing.

Lilian had developed a routine of making a cup of tea before bed. It wasn't that she was overly fond of tea. Surprisingly, tea had become rare along with coffee in Bane's occupied Gotham. The tea habit had begun a few days before she had been visited by Bane for the first time.

She had kept the habit after Bane and his men had appeared at the facility. It wasn't that she was dependent on the habit. She wasn't too proud to admit that she was like many humans a creature of habit. She was sure that it was something else that Bane would consider a weakness. She had continued the habit to prove to herself that she wasn't afraid of them.

She left the dormitory and padded out towards the kitchen. She had just passed the couch when Nicolas grabbed her arm and spun her into him. "What were you talking to the Chancellor's wife about?"

"Let go of me." Lillian jerked her arm, attempting to set it free. Rather than achieving distance between the two of them, she found herself being pulled further into Nicolas as the grip was tightened.

"What did you discuss with the Chancellor's wife?" Lillian debated her options and decided to just give in.

"She was excited that I was an American. She said her and her husband, who she repeatedly pointed out was a chancellor, were visiting the States in October."

"What else?" Lillian didn't appreciate this interrogation. She didn't appreciate everyone staring at them.

"She lied and said they were going to Chicago to watch the Cubs play." She tried to jerk her arm free once more.

"What makes you think she's lying? Maybe she's a Cubs fan."

"Then she's a terrible fan as are you. Baseball season is practically over in October. The only event happening is the World Series. The Cubs haven't played in the World Series since 1945, and they sure aren't going to be playing this year either."

Nicolas smirked. "What else?"

"Nothing. Thankfully, she got distracted by someone carrying around a terrier in a purse."

Nicolas stared at her for a minute before releasing her. She stared for a minute longer before turning and continuing with her original task. She made her tea quickly and returned to the dormitory without saying another word.

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There was a tension in the air. It hummed just slightly, but everyone was aware of it.

"What if she doesn't come back?" Marcus was the one who had finally spoken.

"Why wouldn't she come back?" Nadia asked, clearly knowing something everyone else in the room did not. Bane had no concern over Lillian's return. He had decided that this was the safest place for her until he could figure out what to do with her. He would not allow for anything to stand in the way of her atonement.

"We all know that her fiancé wasn't pleased with her coming in the first place. He may convince her to stay with him and not return." Marcus had grown quite attached to Lillian. He was hoping she would turn out like the rest of them. Dr. Levitus occasionally offered a six month internship to selected individuals. Around month four, he would engross them in a project that would turn the six months into a year. The projects would pile on, and eventually the year would turn into several years.

As far as Marcus could recall, he knew of only three individuals who had ever left. The first one now had a lab of his own and often collaborated with them. The second one had been a terrible fit. Thankfully, none of the League had been in residence during the agonizing two months that she had been here. He knew the doctor was still writing letters, advising others not to work with her.

The third one had his qualms but was overall tolerable. Unfortunately, Bane had not seen things as such. He had snapped the man's neck in the living room and expected everyone to continue on with their work after he ordered the mess cleaned up.

The incident had occurred right before Bane disappeared for Gotham. Then, only a year later, the doctor had invited Lillian, and Bane returned. Marcus wasn't sure what the connection between the two events was, but he was worried for all their safety as long as Bane remained.

"He's not going to convince her to stay."

"How can you be so sure?" Marcus watched as she retreated to the girls' dormitory and returned, holding a piece of paper that had clearly been folded at one time.

My dearest Lillian,

It is with sincerest apologizes that I must rescind my offer of marriage. I can not begin to express the pain that this causes me nor can I begin to imagine how you are feeling at this moment in time.

I was reading your letter today, and I realized that I will never be the man that you deserve. I once accused you of running away from Gotham to avoid planning a wedding and me. At the time, I didn't see what has become so clearly obvious.

I was desperately clinging to you because you knew things I couldn't quite comprehend. I remember the first time that I ever saw you. You walked into the room, wearing a sundress with daisies. You floated out of my life as easily as you had come into it, but I found my every waking thought consumed with you. The one blessing I received from Gotham's occupation was it forced you to notice me.

You were so oblivious to all the attention that anyone paid you, and yet, so wrapped up into exploring all the mysteries that the universe had to offer you. A life time would not be long enough to learn all the things that you could teach me. You gave your love to everyone, including me, without expectations. To you, the universe is a puzzle box waiting to be solved, and I often wonder if maybe I wasn't one of your puzzles along the way to bigger things.

It would be selfish of me not to realize the expectations that you fail to put on your love. You deserve a better man than I will ever be. You deserve someone who can understand you better than I. You deserve someone who will choose you over a city and that's not me.

I chose Gotham over you. Over us. I should have made you flee through the South Side Tunnel with everyone else. I could have forced you to go with my sister, but I chose Gotham. I should never have taken you to that truck.

If I was a better man, I'd say I've changed, and I chose you, but I'd be a liar to say as much. I know without a doubt that I will always chose Gotham when given the choice, but for this one brief moment in time, I am choosing you. I am choosing to let you go. To give you up. It's not what I want but what I know you truly need. I love you. I never knew what it meant to love unselfishly before I met you. It's ironic that my one unselfish act of love would be to end our future.

Love always and forever,

Daniel

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Lillian came through the door shortly after Nadia had returned the letter to its hiding place. She was breathing heavily, and it felt like her heart was going to rip out of her chest. She was almost thankful for the feeling and hoped it would continue. As much as she was looking forward to being away from this place, and more importantly Bane, she was dreading seeing Daniel.

Since she had received the letter, sleep had no longer been a welcome relief in this place. Night time had become an endless journey of wondering how she should respond. Thankfully, the nightmares had ceased since the night that she attacked Marcus when he tried to awake her.

She knew everyone was watching her, and she wasn't exactly sure why. She chalked it up to them knowing she was leaving soon. In just a few short hours, she would be on a plane. A plane back to Gotham.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

A/N: Sorry for the delay in updating.


	5. Chapter 5

Bane did not appreciate the sight before him. Lillian had come back as he had predicted, but she had come back changed. Gone were the baggy jeans, rustic t-shirt, and pony tail. The Lillian standing in the kitchen looked more like a woman ready to seduce executives across the boardroom table. The loss of innocence did not sit well with Bane. Currently, she reminded him of the corruption he had try to rid Gotham of and had failed. She disgusted him in a way that he had never known before.

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"Isn't it a little late for cookies, Miss O'Connor?"

Lillian dropped the package of Oreos back on the shelf and spun around upon the sound of his rasp voice. She hadn't seen Ban since before she left for Gotham, and now he was terrorizing her over cookies.

"Better."

"Excuse me?" Rather than answering her, Bane walked away. She watched him retreat into the living room and wondered how he was able to move so quietly with his size. Truthfully, the man was just massive. Her brothers and their friends were no where near Bane's size, and they always made a ton of noise when they plopped into their chairs. Daniel looked like a pre-teen compared to Bane, and even he made quite a bit of noise when he sat down.

Lillian followed after him. She folder her legs underneath her as she plopped down on the couch across from him. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Your return was very executive odalisque."

"I'd hate to think you were holding back how you really feel." Lillian wasn't sure why but his disapproval hurt her feelings. She hated this man. She hated everything that he stood for and every tragedy he had brought into her life. Yet, she was greatly hurt by his disapproval.

"I trust it will not be a common occurrence."

"My sister-in-law and girlfriends thought that I needed a make-over."

"You should keep better company, Miss O'Connor. I take it that this was in regards to your disengagement from Officer Smith."

"Detective Smith. Yes."

"Detective Smith." Bane sneered the name out. Her correction reminded Bane that the man had only been promoted due to Lillian's disobedience. Not exactly disobedience. He hadn't known of her then. Hadn't had the opportunity to show her the error of her ways. It was interference, but he would allow her to atone for her mistake. He would educate her. He would make her a valuable asset to the League of Shadows whether she came willingly or not.

Lillian knew she had done wrong by correcting Bane, especially over such a trivial matter. She stood slowly and backed her way into the kitchen. She tried to remind herself why she was out here to begin with. It was for cookies. She couldn't sleep, and she wanted cookies. She did not want to have a discussion with Bane or even be alone with him in the same room. She allowed herself to be distracted by him, and it was not a safe venture.

The week away had given Bane some clarity, and he had been pleased this evening to find Lillian's hair back in a sloppy pony tail. From the looks of it, she had awoken and thrown it up before venturing out. The pajamas she wore reminded him how innocent she really was. "I assume releasing this burden will allow you to continue your productivity on par."

Lillian frowned and returned with Oreos in hand. "My engagement was not a burden nor did it affect my work."

Bane didn't bother to look up from his work nor did he bother to answer her. Lillian was done with him. Just done. She stood there, staring at him for just a few minutes before she retreated back to her dormitory with the Oreos.

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Lillian had spent the past two weeks working almost nonstop. The first week had been spent in the absence of Bane. Then, they had had their late night encounter. She was relieved to have not seen him since. She didn't care what he was doing as long as she didn't have to see him and he wasn't doing anything to anyone that she cared about.

Today, however, was strictly about her. Well, that wasn't entirely true. Today was about experiencing new things and living life. A friend of hers had sent her a flier for a renaissance festival. When she had decided to go, several of the other team members agreed to meet her there later in the day. She grabbed the garment bag which contained the costume she had splurged on and headed for the door. She briefly saw Bane and noticed his disapproving glare. She shrugged it off and gave it not a second thought.

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With Lillian and most of the other team members gone, things were a little more relaxed and there wasn't a concern for details being overheard. Nicolas and the other men starred at the maps that were laid out and listened as Bane went over what little detail he was willing to share about the upcoming mission. Nicolas wasn't sure what part Lillian was to play, but he knew that Bane had plans for her. It was just a matter of waiting for Bane to reveal them.

Nicolas' cell phone began to vibrate, and it caught Bane's attention immediately. The other team members weren't allowed electronics, and most of those from the League of Shadows had no need for them. Nicolas debated answering it as Bane glared at him.

"What?" Nicolas figured the damage had been done before the call was ever answered.

"She's missing." Nadia's voice sounded strained coming through the phone.

"Who's missing?"

"Lillian."

"It's a big place. I am sure you'll find her eating a corn dog or some other American junk food."

"Nicolas! You're not listening. She's missing. I found her costume, trampled in the mud with a coke spilled on it. We've asked about it. Someone snatched her."

Nicolas debated the best way to handled the situation. How much damage control would have to be done? Lillian was basically a nice kid who didn't know too much about what they actually did here. She couldn't give away any of their plans. It was Bane that he was concerned with.

He lowered the phone. "Lillian's been taken."


	6. Chapter 6

_The room was cold. Lillian shifted closer to Daniel, snuggling as close as possible in an attempt to share body heat. The power had gone out again. The power outages were getting more and more frequent. She prayed that Bane's reign of terror would end soon. There were lots of reasons to pray for it to end, but at the moment, she just wanted to be warm again. She wanted the electricity to come back on and stay on._

_"I definitely don't want a December wedding." Lillian whispered barely loud enough for anyone else to have heard her._

_"Why not? I think it would be magical." Daniel squeezed her shoulder and kissed the top of her head._

_"I want to be warm. I'm so tired of being cold. I want to walk in the sun and see flowers." She thought back to the weekend trip that several of classmates had spontaneously decided on to the beach. They had camped right at the ocean, and more than one tent had gotten soaked when the tide came up in the evening. She could still recall the feel of the hot sand between her toes._

_"I think that you'd make a beautiful May bride." Lillian could hear it in his voice. She didn't think that he really cared when they were married or where. He was just talking to make her happy and keep her mind off of how cold it really was._

_"May might be good." She didn't bother to remind him that it would be warmer than it was now._

_"Yeah. We'll do BBQ. Not that pan catered BBQ that everyone seems to always have. We'll do real BBQ. The boys down at the precinct sure do know how to cook. We'll tell them it's a competition, and we won't have to pay for a dime of it. Sure would help the budget." Lillian giggled at his plan._

_Bane's reign of terror would have to come to an end before they could even set a date or really start on their wedding plans. Lillian wondered if what her and Daniel had was as real as they thought it was or if it was just a response to their situation. Oh sure, she had always thought him cute and funny every time she had visited beforehand, but he had never had much time for her before Gotham was sectioned off from the rest of the world. Lillian envied the couples that she saw in the church._

_She had been asked on more than one occasion to bear witness to weddings of those who had decided that they couldn't wait any longer to be wed. The current state of Gotham had made them realize that they couldn't wait another day without being joined. The determination and look in their eyes was so endearing and telling. She wanted to know that's what Daniel felt for her. She wanted to believe that's what he felt for her, but she had never been very good with others._

_She reached into her pocket, grabbing out a Kleenex to blow her nose. The small amount of friction warmed it up just enough to remind her how cold it really was. The smell of sheetrock and old pizza hit here._

_No, that wasn't right. They hadn't had pizza in months. Not since right before Bane took over. Even during Bane's reign, Daniel's mother always tried so hard to keep the place clean. When one of the younger children had complained that there was no point in cleaning their room, she had simply responded that a mad man taking over the city was no reason to live like a heathen._

The ground below her shifted, and she cracked open an eye to see that she was in the back of a construction van. The day's events came rushing back to her.

She remembered everything. She had bought a soda just inside of the gates and had been walking past a group of cars to avoid most of the crowd. She had been distracted by someone on stilts when a hand clamped down on her mouth and another wrapped itself around her waist.

She struggled against the assailant and tried to remember what Charlie had taught her about getting away from an attacker. She dropped the dress and soda, pulling her arm into the center of her chest. She took a deep breath and smashed her elbow back into his stomach as hard as he could. Losing his breath, he released her.

She took off running, only to run into someone else. This person was much more prepared for her. It was within seconds of him jabbing the needle into her neck that she lost conscious. She was never given the chance to struggle against him.

She remembered Bane's disapproving glare as she left that morning. She bet money that he had something to do with her being grabbed. Just like the last time.

Only this time they were much more sloppy. No one was watching her, and they were a lot more chatty than the last time. She was thankful to discover she wasn't bound. As much as she wanted to blame him for this, she knew it had been carried out too sloppy for him to have orchestrated it.

She waited until the van came to a stop before she grabbed the handle of the side door, ripping it open and jumping out. She heard cussing as she took off running. She didn't know what she had done to be so blessed, but she thanked Heaven that they were still in a city. A shot rang out past her head and she urged herself to run faster and not look back, ducking down whatever street she could get to.

Lillian had gone missing and that didn't bode well for any of them. She had become key on several projects. It was apparent to everyone but her that she would never leave the institute.

Not only had she become a key player within the institute, but Bane had something in store for her. No one was quite sure what that was though. Other than being angry at her for what she had done in Gotham, no one was exactly sure how Bane felt about her. She just seemed to be another tool in his arsenal, and each of them knew that tools were replaceable.

Nicholas wondered if Bane was planning on replacing her soon when his simple reply to his announcement had been to find her. He had then continued on with the plans that he had been discussing before the call came in.

Bane was angry. He had spent his whole life fighting for everything. He had learned early in his life that nothing was just handed to you. You had to fight to obtain it and fight to keep it. He had continued fighting and never know what it was like to just be given something.

Until Lillian. He had never had to fight for Lillian. When he ordered it, she was immediately brought before him. When he wanted to see her, her abode was easily found and accessed. Despite him inviting himself in, she had been hospitable and had treated him like a guest. She was always cordial with him despite knowing how much she despised him.

Bane had always instilled fear in others. He very rarely saw fear on Lillian's face. He had seen it a few times when he had snuck up on her when she thought she was all alone, but he had never seen it as a direct reaction to him and his men being there. He was curious as to what made her scream in terror in the middle of the night.

He hadn't been sure why he had gone to see her, but he had to see her. Mercy had never been his friend, and he was not known to hand it out. However, there was something about Lillian that made him want to be merciful. He wanted her to atone and learn her full potential.

When he discovered, she planned on returning to that cesspool known as Gotham, he had been furious. Word was quickly sent for her to join them here, and she had jumped on the invitation. Of course, she didn't know exactly what laid in store.

Despite her reluctance to be around him or any of them, her value continued to increase, and Bane knew that the Dr. Greenwich would not want to let her leave. Bane had no problem accommodating that. He had finally found a way for Lillian to atone without her kicking and screaming in protest the whole way.

Someone had taken her, and they would pay. She would be retrieved. The culprit would be found, and a message sent. Only a fool would be stupid enough to try to steal from Bane and the League.

"I FOUND HER." Marcus' voice rang out, and several others crowded around the monitor. "Twenty minutes ago she jumped out of a work van and ran down a side street. I can track her for about ten minutes, and then she disappears for about three minutes. She appears again for five minutes before turning down a street and disappears again. She should still be in this general area."

A/N: Sorry it has taken so long to update. Reviews are appreciated.


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